Hebrews 13:18-21
Pray for us, for our conscience is
clear and we want to keep it that way. I especially need your prayers
right now so that I can come back to you sooner.
And now may the
God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, equip you
with all you need for doing his will. May he who became the great
Shepherd of the sheep by an everlasting agreement between God and you,
signed with his blood, produce in you through the power of Christ all
that is pleasing to him. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House.
This
morning, someone posted a photo on Facebook of a beautiful
impressionistic painting by an Australian-born artist named Robert
Hagan*. This lovely piece featured three barefoot ladies in long dresses
who appear to be friends standing on a sandy beach. The accompanying
quote was from novelist Nicholas Sparks**…"You're going to come across
people in your life who will say all the right words at all the right
times. But in the end, it's always their actions you should judge them
by."
We would do well to apply this in our own lives. Talk is
cheap…a lot of people say a LOT of things. But what do they DO? How do
they treat others? Does their daily living back up their words…and
does it please God? Because in the end, pleasing Him is truly all that
matters.
We all know people who “talk a good game”…who say they
care about others, that they don’t care about money or possessions…that
“faith and family” matter most to them. And we also know a lot of
people who say these things and then act in a totally opposite manner.
They are the first to rant about their “hard-earned money” going to pay
for programs to help those in need…or to judge those who think or act
differently. They look down their noses at those who attend worship and
don’t dress as nicely or drive a fancy car – or have tousled, unruly
children or a disabled elderly relative who needs the aisle seat (which
is where they ALWAYS sit!). And then they proudly sport a bumper
sticker that advertises their home church – and a “fish magnet with a
cross.”
Might I remind all of us that people are watching…and
well they should be! More importantly, God is watching. He always
knows whether what we do lines up with what we say, what He commanded –
and what we agreed to do in return. Like the Apostle Paul, my prayer is
that we would all be continually ready to please God and do what is
right…that our conscience might indeed be clear…and that we would strive
to keep it that way! How well are you doing?
©2015 Debbie Robus
* http://www.roberthagan.com
** http://nicholassparks.com
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